GTranslate

Search form

Santa Catalina Castle

Categoría:

Exhibition centres

Zona:

Caleta - Castillos

After the Anglo-Dutch plundering of the city in 1596, King Philip II of Spain sent Cristóbal de Rojas, the engineer, to Cadiz to work on a project to defend the city. Rojas believe that the first thing to be done had to be to build a fortress in the Santa Catalina cove to thus defend one of the most vulnerable fronts overlooking the sea.
The castle is a fine example of the military architecture of the Modern Era and has survived to the present practically intact. It has a star-shaped floor plan with two clearly defined fronts, one consisting of three triangular buttresses overlooking the beach and another open to city with the complex’s only gate, protected by two buttresses and a moat whose water level was regulated by sluice gates. A bridge leads up to the single gate, protected by an upper guardhouse, under which there is an inscription commemorating the completion of the work during Philip III of Spain’s reign.
The different buildings inside are arranged around the parade ground, which has colonnades on two sides, while the Chapel of Santa Catalina, built in 1693, stands on the third side.
This fortress has now become a multipurpose recreational and cultural venue, including temporary exhibition rooms, educational workshops for students, craft and artistic workshops. The castle’s parade ground is the venue for concerts and activities in summer.

Horario:

From 11.00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. from Monday to Sunday
From 11.00 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. from Monday to Sunday in summer
The closing time subject to changes on concert days